Minimise your risk of injury

“Believe it or not, it is not the tendonitis, the strained ligament or the stress fracture that is commonplace but the seasoned athlete making those rookie mistakes, who keeps knocking on my door…” says Jared Green, a Musculoskeletal Podiatrist at North Downs Hospital in Caterham, Surrey.

With 14 years of experience under his belt, Green claims in his blog post ‘Running and The Rookie Mistakes’ that it’s a good thing that we actually have the power to avoid some common mistakes and limit our risk of injury.

From advice about blisters and chafing to tips on buying new shoes and knowing when it’s time to cast out old ones, he offers some useful insights such as:

‘As a guide, shoes should average 500-600 miles, after which a new pair should be sought. Judge the wear by the midsole NOT the upper or outer sole. If the midsole looks compressed or you start to get shin or joint pain, more than likely it’s time for a new pair. A quick test is to fold your shoe in half, if you can do it easily with one hand it’s time to let go and bid adieu.’

And points out the curious fact that your feet sweat about a cup of water each day – even without exercise!

He also discusses the latest advice on pre- and post-stretching and warm-ups and offers his take on the ‘no-pain, no-gain’ saying, plus what you should do if you truly must race with an injury…